Simple Random Sample (SRS) (eHRAF Archaeology)

The Simple Random Sample (SRS) below consists of traditions that are randomly selected from the Outline of Archaeological Traditions (OAT) compiled by Peter N. Peregrine with the help of a Board of Advisors. The OAT attempted to catalogue all known prehistoric archaeological traditions.

REGION

SUBREGION

TRADITION NAME

OWC

SUBSISTENCE TYPE

BEGIN
B.P.

END
B.P.

Asia

East Asia

Dawenkou

AF50

horticulturalists

7000

5000

Asia

South Asia

Ganges Neolithic

AQ50

other subsistence combinations

4000

2500

Europe

General Europe

Bell Beaker

E050

intensive agriculturalists

4500

3800

Middle East

Middle East

Iranian Bronze Age

MA50

agro-pastoralists

5000

3500

North America

Arctic and Subarctic

Norton

NA50

hunter-gatherers

3000

1000

North America

Arctic and Subarctic

Proto-Athapaskans

ND50

hunter-gatherers

2000

150

Oceania

Polynesia

Hawaiian

OV50

horticulture to intensive agriculture

800

200

South America

Central Andes

Andean Regional Development

S050

agro-pastoralists

2200

1300

South America

Northwestern South America

Manteño

SD50

horticulturalists

1500

500

South America

Central Andes

Aymara Kingdoms

SF50

agro-pastoralists

900

530

Europe

General Europe

Impressed Ware

E051

primarily hunter-gatherers

6800

6000

Africa

Northern Africa

Late Pleistocene–Early Holocene Maghreb

M050

hunter-gatherers

20000

7500

Asia

Central Asia

Scythian-Sarmatian

MA51

pastoralists

4000

1700

Africa

Northern Africa

Khartoum Neolithic

MS50

other subsistence combinations

5700

3550

North America

General North America

Eastern Arctic Small Tool

N050

hunter-gatherers

4000

2700

North America

Northwest Coast and California

Late Southern California

NS50

hunter-gatherers

3000

150

Middle America and the Caribbean

Northern Mexico

Huatabampo

NU75

primarily hunter-gatherers

1800

500

Middle America and the Caribbean

Maya Area

Classic Maya

NY53

intensive agriculturalists

2100

1100

Oceania

Melanesia

New Guinea Neolithic

OJ50

horticulturalists

10000

100

Middle America and the Caribbean

Caribbean

Late Caribbean

S051

intensive agriculturalists

1000

500

Asia

Central Asia

Eastern Central Asia Neolithic and Bronze Age

AJ50

agro-pastoralists

6000

1500

North America

Eastern Woodlands

Eastern Middle Archaic

NN50

hunter-gatherers

8000

6000

North America

Plains and Plateau

Cascade

NR50

hunter-gatherers

8000

5000

Middle America and the Caribbean

Central Mexico

West Mexico Postclassic

NU76

intensive agriculturalists

1100

480

South America

Northwestern South America

Early Northwest South American Littoral

S060

primarily hunter-gatherers

9000

5500

Asia

South Asia

Central Indian Neolithic

AQ63

other subsistence combinations

5000

3100

Europe

Southeastern Europe

Southeastern Europe Late Chalcolithic

E075

agro-pastoralists

5500

4500

Europe

Scandinavia

Scandinavian Iron Age

E087

other subsistence combinations

2500

1500

Africa

Western Africa

West African Iron Age

FA75

other subsistence combinations

2500

1200

North America

Arctic and Subarctic

Late Tundra

NA45

hunter-gatherers

8000

6000

North America

Eastern Woodlands

Initial Shield Woodland

NC54

hunter-gatherers

3000

600

Asia

Central Asia

Early Nomad

RL60

pastoralists

2800

2300

Middle East

Middle East

Early Dynastic Mesopotamia

MH64

agro-pastoralists

4900

4334

Asia

East Asia

Yayoi

AB80

intensive agriculturalists

2500

1500

Asia

South Asia

Indus Neolithic

AQ40

hunter-gatherers to food producers

7000

5000

Africa

Southern Africa

Wilton

FX50

hunter-gatherers

10000

2000

Africa

Northern Africa

Middle Paleolithic Egypt

MR45

hunter-gatherers

230000

45000

North America

Eastern Woodlands

Hopewell

NP55

horticulturalists

2100

1700

Asia

East Asia

Southeast China Early Neolithic

AF70

primarily hunter-gatherers

9000

5500

Middle East

Middle East

Halafian

M086

agro-pastoralists

7500

7000

Middle America and the Caribbean

Central Mexico

Olmec

NU95

other subsistence combinations

3400

2100

Middle East

Middle East

Akkadian

MH66

agro-pastoralists

4334

4112

North America

Arctic and Subarctic

Paleo-Arctic

ND60

hunter-gatherers

11000

6000

Oceania

Polynesia

Tongan

OU80

horticulturalists

2000

200

North America

Southwest and Basin

Hohokam

NT76

intensive agriculturalists

2000

500

South America

Central Andes

Chimu

SE75

intensive agriculturalists

1100

480

Additional Formats

Topics and Cultures in eHRAF: This printable PDF document is an overview of all the topics on cultural and social life, and all cultures, past and present, currently covered in HRAF’s cross-cultural online databases. It serves as handy reference for librarians, educators, and researchers.

Excel format: A comprehensive list of the 46 SRS tradition names currently included in the eHRAF Archaeology database. The excel format also includes sequence and installment numbers, OWC codes, region coverage (including subregions), date coverage (beginning and ending dates for the cultural materials), and subsistence type. This list in excel format is versatile because you can sort the spreadsheet to your needs and add or delete any columns you like. The sequence numbers for each culture name make the excel table useful for generating a subset of the simple random sample from eHRAF. Visit the Cross-Cultural Research section to learn more about random sampling.

Subsistence Classification

Hunter-gatherers — also called foragers; depend almost entirely (75% or more) on hunting, gathering, and fishing for subsistence

Hunter-gatherers to food producers — during the tradition the people began as hunter-gatherers and became dependent on food production (55% or more) by the end of the tradition. Food production includes combinations of hunting, gathering, fishing, pastoralism, horticulture, and intensive agriculture

Horticulturalists — depend mostly (55% or more) on simple agriculture (extensive or horticulture). Horticulture frequently requires a long fallow period. This category includes any type of agriculture that is not primarily (55% or more) intensive.

Agro-pastoralists — not any of the above. Pastoralism and horticulture/intensive agriculture combined contribute at least 75% or more to the economy.

Pastoralists — depend mostly (55% or more) on herding or pastoralism

Horticulture to intensive agriculture — at the beginning of the tradition, people depended mostly (55% or more) on horticulture and by the end of the tradition they depended mostly (55% or more) on intensive agriculture.

Intensive agriculturalists — depend mostly (55% or more) on intensive agriculture. Intensive agriculture means a variety of techniques are used so that fields can be permanently cultivated. These techniques can include irrigation, terracing, crop rotation, plows, and/or some sort of agriculture.

Other subsistence combinations — includes other combinations of hunting, fishing, gathering, pastoralism, horticulture, and intensive agriculture

Not assigned — not enough information

Where can Traditions, Regions, Subsistence and Sample types be found in eHRAF?

Overviews of the archaeological traditions can be found in the Browse Tradition section of eHRAF Archaeology, or searched in combination with subjects and keywords in Advanced Search.

In eHRAF Archaeology, a search query can be refined by sample and subsistence type. This is done after a search in the culture results page.